European parliamentary team arrives tomorrow to assess post-Rana progress

A delegation of the European Parliament (EP) will arrive tomorrow (Monday) on a two-day visit to see the progress made in the readymade garment industry after the Rana Plaza building collapse.   

Chairperson of the Delegation for relations with South Asia Jean Lambert will lead the EP delegation, according to a release issued on Saturday.  

The mission comes ahead of the first anniversary of the catastrophic Rana Plaza building collapse, which killed more than 1,100 workers.  

The Members of the European Parliament will discuss with relevant stakeholders the implementation of the measures adopted to improve factory safety and workers' rights, notably the EU-Bangladesh Global Sustainability Compact, the release said.   

Concerned that the political parties did not manage to agree on an inclusive mechanism for the January 2014 elections, the EP delegation will discuss the post-election scenario as well as social and economic issues with key Bangladeshi decision-makers and civil society representatives.   

The members of the cross-party EP Delegation are: Jean Lambert (Greens /European Free Alliance), John Attard-Montalto (Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats), Salvador Sedo i Alabart (European People's Party), and Niccolò Rinaldi (Alliance of Democrats and Liberals).

During the visit, the EP delegation will meet Prime Minister, Speaker of the parliament, Foreign Minister, Commerce Minister, BNP chairperson and representatives of civil society.